Improvement in devices for packing dry-goods boxes



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THC MAS WEBBER,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND VOLNEY E. BUSCO, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN DEVICES FOR PACKING DRY-GOODS BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 45,301, dated November 29, 1864; antedated November 25, 1864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1', THOMAS WEBBER, of the city of Chicago, Cook county, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Machine to Assist in the Packing ot' Dry-Goods Boxes and other Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact descriptioii thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and letters of reference marked thereon, forming a part of this my specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my iiivention applied to a drygoods box in the ina-nner it is intended to be used, for the purpose of forcing down the cover of the box, in order to facilitate the nailing ofthe same. Fig. 2 is a cross section ot' my box-packer, and Fig. a view of the lever employed in operating said packer.

The object of my invention is to provide the means whereby a dry-goods box or other box may readily have its cover nailed thereon, notwithstanding the box may be packed so full as to have its contents, as is often the case, project somewhat above the top of the box before the cover is applied, thereby offering a resistance to the -proper nailing ot' the cover. i

In Fig. 1 my packer is shown applied across the top ot' a box the cover of which is about to be nailed, and consists of a proper foundation A, in the form shown, which may be of wood or any other suitable material, having supports b b permanently applied thereto, as indicated, which serve as bearin gs for a windlass, B, secured thereiirby metal coliars c c. Central of the length ot' the windlass, lever-ratchets d d are made around the windlass, as shown, in order to engage with the lever 'E when applied thereto as represented, for the purpose of turning the windlass.

VBetween the lever-ratchcts d da series of i smaller' ratchets, c, are made around the windi lass, into which a pawhj', engages as the wind lass is revolved by the lever E, thus retaining the former in proper position in the act ot' rotation as well as when the power applied to the lever is remitted.

The pawlf, as represented, is permanent-ly I attached to the foundation A.

vided as a convenient support for the lever' E when not in use, the lever being made in form as represented in Fig. 3, with a handle, Z, termina-ting in a heavy shoulder, as at m, from which cuived arms n n project, and which are fitted so as to clasp the windlass B on both sides of the ratchets d d, while that part of the shoulder m which is situated between the arms a engages with ratchets d d when the lever is in the act of use.

In operation, my packer is placed upon the cover ofthe box, as shown in Fig. 1, the clawrods fi t extending down upon either side of the box., withthe claws t" beneath the bottom ot' the box, as represented, or driven into its sides. The lever E is then applied to the windlass, as represented, and power applied to the lever to turn the windlass in the direction of the arrow. As the ivindlass turns, the chains are wound around it, as represented, thus transferring the leverage-power of the windlass directly upon the cover of the box, thereby pressing it down to its proper position for heilig nailed, and in which position it is held by the pawl j during the act ot' nailing. By this means the pressure upon the boxcovcr is equally distributed throughoutits extent, and it can with the greatest facility be nailed, notwithstanding the box may have previously been packed so full as to greatly resist the application ot' the cover.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isy In combination with the foundation A and wiudlass B, the chains h I1l and clawrods z' i, or their equivalents, arranged and operating suhstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

THOMAS WEBBER. "itnessesr JOHN C. REis, V. E. Rusco. 

